gymnast46
New member
I started another thread asking what the high point was of your season. Why not do the same for the most forgettable day on the slopes?
It's a toss up in my case.
I'd been having problems with DIN settings too low this season but I'd been reluctant to bump them too high because of three surgeries on my right knee. In early March I was competing in a Super G race. I was pumped and was having a good run until two gates from the end when the binding on my outside ski prereleased. In the second shot below the heel has already slid out and I'm trying to transfer my weight to the inside ski to complete the last two gates (if Bode can do it, why can't I?). That lasted a couple of microseconds before I flipped onto my back and slid the last two gates. My helmet hit the timing mechanism causing it to register a time of 1:05.10 which would have been one of the faster times of the day! I DNF'd myself.
Anyway, I wanted to share the "photo finish" of the "Agony of Da Feet".
Fast forward to a week and a half ago. It was a classic Vermont Spring day and my Volkl RT GS snowboard was holding a nice edge. Early afternoon everything turned to mashed potatoes so I dusted off my Salomon Scream mid fats and headed for the terrain park.
There is a series of jumps on one run. You know the kind - elevated kicker with flags marking the takeoff point, a flat tabletop and then a steep landing area. The first one went well, I launched and cleared the table top sticking a nice landing. A few more like that and maybe a daffy or a helicopter? (WHAT was I thinking????). I hit the second jump and realized too late that this one launched the skier almost vertical and was designed for inverted aerials! I had more speed on this one and consequently more air time before I slammed my right hip into the downslope. The pain was intense but what really got my attention was the shrieks from the kids behind me who launched off the jump and discovered a senior citizen sprawled in their landing area. Fortunately both of them managed to miss me and I dragged my protesting body to the side.
I limped home, applied ice externally and Long Trail Ale internally. I hopped in the whirlpool tub and gave some serious thought that 61 is too old for aerials. Don't you hate it when logic and reason enter into the equation?
It's a toss up in my case.
I'd been having problems with DIN settings too low this season but I'd been reluctant to bump them too high because of three surgeries on my right knee. In early March I was competing in a Super G race. I was pumped and was having a good run until two gates from the end when the binding on my outside ski prereleased. In the second shot below the heel has already slid out and I'm trying to transfer my weight to the inside ski to complete the last two gates (if Bode can do it, why can't I?). That lasted a couple of microseconds before I flipped onto my back and slid the last two gates. My helmet hit the timing mechanism causing it to register a time of 1:05.10 which would have been one of the faster times of the day! I DNF'd myself.
Anyway, I wanted to share the "photo finish" of the "Agony of Da Feet".
Fast forward to a week and a half ago. It was a classic Vermont Spring day and my Volkl RT GS snowboard was holding a nice edge. Early afternoon everything turned to mashed potatoes so I dusted off my Salomon Scream mid fats and headed for the terrain park.
There is a series of jumps on one run. You know the kind - elevated kicker with flags marking the takeoff point, a flat tabletop and then a steep landing area. The first one went well, I launched and cleared the table top sticking a nice landing. A few more like that and maybe a daffy or a helicopter? (WHAT was I thinking????). I hit the second jump and realized too late that this one launched the skier almost vertical and was designed for inverted aerials! I had more speed on this one and consequently more air time before I slammed my right hip into the downslope. The pain was intense but what really got my attention was the shrieks from the kids behind me who launched off the jump and discovered a senior citizen sprawled in their landing area. Fortunately both of them managed to miss me and I dragged my protesting body to the side.
I limped home, applied ice externally and Long Trail Ale internally. I hopped in the whirlpool tub and gave some serious thought that 61 is too old for aerials. Don't you hate it when logic and reason enter into the equation?
